I pray this letter finds you growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ as you strive for holiness without which no man will see the Lord (Heb 12:14)! Our current sermon series has been helping all of us establish a biblical understanding of the Church that is rooted in the never changing character and eternal plan of God (Eph 3:1-21). The Word of God is lucid and undeniable that the Church is the chosen people of God which is a most encouraging truth that undergirds all that she is called to do (1 Pet 2:9-10)! Eternal purpose, unending joy, complete protection, unfathomable love, rich mercy, enduring hope, and un-surpassing peace are all wrapped up in this marvelous, majestic, and mysterious doctrine of God’s sovereign election of His Church! Therefore, to further encourage your walk and equip you in our task to better understand the Church, I wanted to pass along the 10 reasons I gave in last Sunday’s sermon of why being a sovereignly chosen people matters to the life and ministry of the Church. Many have commented how much they are learning about the body of Christ through His Word and have requested that I put this out to our Church family in writing. I pray this further fills your heart with the eternal and everlasting hope of sovereign love!

10 Reasons why being a sovereignly chosen people matters to the life and ministry of the Church!

1. Being a “Sovereignly Chosen People” crushes pride, arrogance, and self-centeredness in the Church! A biblical understanding of election eliminates any thought of boasting, judgemental spirit, and racism! Because of who we are as “God’s Chosen People” we think and act humbly and sacrificially not arrogantly and selfishly! (1 Cor 1:26-2:5; 1 Pet 2:11-12; 5:1-5; Col 3:12-17; Rom 12:9-13; Phil 2:1-10)

2. Being a “Sovereignly Chosen People” is the platform for the greatest exaltation, adoration, and proclamation of God by the Church! No greater reason to praise God than exalting Him for being Him! (1 Pet 2:9-10, 3:15; Eph 1:3-14; Rom 11:33-36; 2 Thess 2:13-14…praise God for you!)

3. Being a “Sovereignly Chosen People” instigates a pursuit of holiness in the Church that is rightfully driven by what God has said, who God is and what God has done through Christ! Our personal and fervent training ourselves to godliness is always based on what God has done. The indicatives of Scripture ground and guide the Church’s pursuit to fulfill the imperatives! (Ex 19:4-6, 20:18-20; Deut 10:14-22; Rom 8:28-30; Eph 1:3-4; 1 Pet 1:15-21; 2:9-12; 2 Pet 2:10-11; Col 1:22)

4. Being a “Sovereignly Chosen People” establishes strength, security, and the stability of eternal hope for the Church that can never be lost even though all else seems to fade! This is the very reason Peter writes to these suffering and persecuted believers that they might be encouraged exiles as they remember that though they have been ridiculed and rejected by the world they have been personally chosen and eternally redeemed by God! (Phil 2:12-13; 1 Pet 1:3-9; 2:1-10; 5:6-11; Rom 8:33-39…AWESOME; 1 Thess 5:24; Heb 13:20-21)!

5. Being a “Sovereignly Chosen People” establishes a foundation of God centered joy for the Church that never fails, disappoints, or discourages! Joy is the heartbeat of the chosen and it is God centered joy along the difficult and disastrous journey of life that grabs the attention of a watching world. (Luke 10:20; Acts 11:18; 1 Cor 1:30-31; Eph 1:6,12,14; Phil 1:6; Rom 11:33-36; 1 Pet 2:6-7; 3:12-17; Col 1:12-14; 1 Thess 5:24; Rev 7:9-17, 13:8, 17:8,14, 21:9-27)!

6. Being a “Sovereignly Chosen People” establishes an undeniable purpose and passion for the Church that makes her eagerly responsible to God for all of life and ministry! God did not choose a people so that they could live however they want but He chose a people that would be His own treasured possession who are zealous for doing His work. (Jn 15:15; Rom 12:1-21; Eph 2:10, 4:1-16; 1 Pet 2:9-10; 2 Cor 5:14-15; Titus 2:11-14, 3:4-11; 2 Thess 2:13-15; Col 3:1-17)

7. Being a “Sovereignly Chosen People” establishes the priority and precious nature of the Church in the eternal plan of God. The Church is not an afterthought or plan B in the eternal counsel of God but the primary means for spreading His gospel across the globe as He prepares for His coming kingdom. (Mt 11:25-30, 16:18, 22:14, 28:18-20; Lk 24:45-49; Jn 6:36-37, 44, 15:15, 17:1-26; Acts 1:6-8, 2:38, 42-47, 9:4-6, 13:48, 16:14; Rom 11:25-32; Eph 2:11-22, 3:1-21, 5:25; Col 1:24-2:7; Titus 1:1-9, 2:1-10; 1 Tim 3:1-15; 2 Timothy 2:10, 1 Pet 1:1, 2:4-5; Rev 3:7-13)

8. Being a “Sovereignly Chosen People” establishes the Church as God’s primary means in declaring the gospel to the world as He brings many unbelievers to eternal glory! Peter makes it clear, as well as the rest of the New Testament, that God chose and appointed the Church to be His ambassadors to proclaim His message, honor His Word, exalt His Son, and disciple His sheep that the lost might find eternal hope. (Mt 28:18-20; Acts 1:6-8, 13:1-3, 14:21-23; 2 Cor 5:16-6:2; Phil 2:14-18; 1 Pet 2:9-12, 3:12-17; 1 Timothy 3:15; 2 Timothy 2:10; Titus 1:1-2; 3:1-3 Col 4:5-6; Rom 11:11-32; Jude 22-25)

9. Being a “Sovereignly Chosen People” establishes the greatest confidence and encouragement to God centered evangelism in and through the Church while ministering in and to a fallen and lost world! Sadly, many have thought that God’s sovereignty in salvation kills biblical evangelism but that kind of thinking is not so according to the Bible. Believers, serving as the ambassadors of Christ, have an unwavering assurance that God knows those who are His and the Lord will use His powerful Word, as passionately and accurately proclaimed through the Christian, to draw His people to Himself at just the right time. (Mt 11:25-30, 16:18, 28:18-20;

10. Being a sovereignly chosen people establishes a patient and persevering perspective in the Church especially amidst ministry perplexities, problems and persecutions. Living as exiles in a foreign land is not easy as believers grow more and more in their understanding that this world is not our home. Knowing that God has chosen us for the glorious task of representing Him and that He is working out everything for His glory and the good of those who are His is most comforting amidst the confusion and chaos of this world. (Rom 5:1-11, 8:18, 28-39; 2 Cor 4:16-18; 1 Pet 1:3-11, 5:6-11; Mt 24:22; Jn 6:37-39; James 1:2-4; 1 Thess 5:24; Jude 24-25; Phil 1:6, 2:12-13, 3:12-4:1; Heb 13:5, 13:20-21)